RTElite12 January 13, 2015 Share January 13, 2015 I believe I am starting to get some red slime algae on a part of my sand bed. It started out small and has slowly grown to about the size in the picture. What necessarily causes it and how can it be cured. Ever since I have had it my corals haven`t looked as good as they did before but are still doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 13, 2015 Author Share January 13, 2015 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 13, 2015 Share January 13, 2015 Do water changes and increase your flow in the tank if you can. It's a bacteria and not really an algae, but keeping your feedings in check and watching your other parameters is always a good idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 Feed less, water change more. You can blackout for a period of time which will bandaid, but it will be a good step delving into the root problem. I'm currently doing a black out as I neglected my water change for longer than I should have, and feed way too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 I don't really get it, I don't feed a lot at all and do water changes every 1-2 weeks. It must be the flow and if so, that should now be fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 Its the same thing with the hair algae I have. I just tested my nitrates and and they are fine and it`s not my phosphates because I put in some new gfo about a week and a half ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 If you have hair algae also, then this is another step of the same problem... Your phosphates are going to give a false negatives reading, as the algae is using it...and nitrates not being high doesn't mean there's not an over feeding problem... GFO can be absorbing some of the numbers also, but the algae in the tank is using it first, as it is getting the light also... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 So what can I do to fix that. I already am running gfo, carbon, and my skimmer and I am feeding light. I had my lights on for 6 hours a day for a while but that didn`t help either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 I run blues for 10hours, whites for 6 in the middle... Water changes every other week, feed even less...(let us know what you are feeding, how, how much and whom is in your tank), Skim wetter If possible... There has to be a cause...using chems helps to slow a problem, but won't get rid of it if you can't narrow it down and figure out what is doing it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 And when I say water changes, 25% of total volume, using rodi water ... Make sure your makeup water has very low TDS, make sure the buckets or whatever you are using has been cleaned also...(I rinse mine every other month with vinegar) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 I do use low TDS RODI water. Its not 0 anymore but its still around 5. I haven`t cleaned the buckets with vinegar but I do use RODI water and paper towels normally every other time I use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 I normally do about 10% water change every week and if I can`t do it one week, I do 20% the next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 Sorry, I didn't see your post from a little bit ago. I have a pair of clownfish and a lawnmower Benny in my tank. I got the Benny just for this very reason when I saw the hair algae (he's actually done a decent job). I feed Rods food (very nutritiously dense) in small chunks to about the point where if I cut them again there wouldn't really be much left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 My skimmer is pretty touchy. I do maintain a constant water level though. Sometimes it will skim well, others it won't. It's kind of weird. I might try and raise it up a little bit and make sure it's level (it should be but it can't hurt to check) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 switch to flakes or pellets, less frozen. Only feed what your fish will eat in a minute. Feed often, and less, if possible. Are you using an RO/DI? What size is your tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 Ok, I might try a pellet with frozen mix. I'll feed all pellets except for like once or twice a week. I am using a RODI. My tank is a 29 biocube HQi with a HOB overflow to a 10 gallon DIY sump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 Frozen food will contain more phosphates than pellets. I only feed frozen, and I don't run anything other than dose for calcium and alkalinity, and heavy skimming. We have similar problems, and I've been battling mine for almost 2 years now. I have thought about resorting to GFO, or even just running carbon, but I'm a huge fan of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Water changes, and heavy skimming have usually worked for me, I just slow my hand down, make sure I have enough flow, and try to feed less frozen. I bet if you cut your photo period, or even blacked out, you would see it clear up, and then slowly come back again if you keep feeding frozen. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 Okay, thank you so much for your help, I will take these suggestions into consideration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 All great advice. I also recommend siphoning it off every water change. It's just a matter of time for our tanks to accumulate too much nutrients. We all keep too much livestock, skimmers are only so effective and we don't have enough Chaeto growing good enough to remove them so the bacteria removes it for us. The cool part is at least in my tank I can siphon of the spot that grows it, removing the nutrients temporarily until they build back up it will start growing a few days later. I recently bought a skimmer twice as big as my old one and it seems to be helping already. I think if I get my GFO going again it will disappear but first I want to see if the upgraded skimmer will do the trick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnevo January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 If your Water tested at 0tds originally and its now at 5 its way past the time to change your filters. If you are able to get a 0 on the out, i would change things once you get to 1 and certainly not past 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 5 was just a guess. I need to get new batteries for my TDS meter so I'll put the results of the test once I get them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 January 14, 2015 Author Share January 14, 2015 I have only had the new filters for 5 months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 I have only had the new filters for 5 months Depends on your water. I change my filters every 6 months. Good replies above also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 Do water changes and increase your flow in the tank if you can. It's a bacteria and not really an algae, but keeping your feedings in check and watching your other parameters is always a good idea... Doing a water change can work but only if the filter is working properly. Doing a water change with fouled membranes can increase the red slime. Increased flow doesn't seem to change red slime in my experience. It is listed as a bacteria but it is does seem to survive some on light. That's why it is on surfaces which receive light and not under rocks or overhangs, in a sump where it is dark. How old is this system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 January 14, 2015 Share January 14, 2015 Increased flow doesn't help in my experience also. I think it helps some people because it suspends the poop and nasties longer for the skimmer to remove. Can running carbon really help Isaac? Jan told me it wouldn't but it makes sense that it would since it would be removing particles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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